1. ET 66: 5,537 Print Dieter Rams’ iconic Braun calculator is distilled down by designers Connor & David to its very essence for this “Less But Better” exhibition poster. Let its hidden message inspire a minimalist approach to your finances this season. Perhaps less truly is better. Punch it up here: curateanddesign.com

2. 10-Key Calculator Speaking of calculators, augment your desktop minimalism with Ippei Matsumoto’s 1st gen keyboard tribute. Fingers easily find the correct figures using this simple and familiar feeling tool. Rewarding to the ears, too. Click click click: shop.thefutureperfect.com

3. Envelop Desk While the current tax code (at over 50,000 pages) is anything but flexible, there is a workspace solution designed to work around you. Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber’s Envelop Desk for Herman Miller is designed to, yep, “Envelop” you in a fluid form of workspace harmony. With a sliding, flexible support surface (the “infield”) moving with you as you work, at least something is flexible this April. Get to work: HermanMiller.com

4. Mint.com Personal Finance iPhone App Named one of Time Magazine’s top apps for 2011, Mint is the go-to tool for personal finance to-go. Manage your money in those spare moments away from your workspace and enjoy seamless tracking of checking, savings, investments and more. Your tension level at tax time will thank you. Here’s the app for that: itunes.com

5. MoreTrees Perpetual Calendar Keep perpetual track of your fiscal year’s red-letter dates with a flick of the wrist. Keita Shimizu’s More Trees calendar allows you to rotate blocks of dates to form any month of the year, forever. Nothing will be certain in life but your perpetual calendar and taxes. Get it here: rumors.jp

6. Ruler Clip Itemizing deductions, adding line A to line B, preparing schedules C, D and @#$%? Keep your line items straight with a handy ruler clip. Laser-engraved in millimeters, perfect for your ledgers, returns, and maybe even for keeping your hair out of your eyes. Line one up at: presentandcorrect.com

Photos: Linked to their sources within text

This year I went ahead and tried TurboTax online. Since my parents have been using it for several years now, I figured if they could do it, so could I.

Of course, if you’ve filed in the past, it’s not surprising to find yourself painfully bored out of your mind, face in palm, and filled with yawns of utter annoyance. With TurboTax online, which costs $30-180 depending on the businesses you run, the problem is only slightly alleviated. In the end, it’s just another series of yes/no prompts, filled with words that you’ll never see in everyday conversation, utilizing a dated structure that’ll probably never change for decades to come.

Lifehacker has also done a comparison between the TurboTax online product and H&R Block’s equivalent that’s worth a read if you’re interested in seeing how two of the most popular services out there do in a direct faceoff.

What about you, readers? Find a sweet online tax tool that doesn’t feel like you’re doing taxes? Let us know in the comments!

By Anthony Nguyen